What happened this week in the world of blockchain and cryptocurrencies? The most relevant local and international events as well as appealing background reports in a concise and compact weekly review.
Selected articles of the week:
The US government is accelerating its crypto offensive. In a 160-page report, the working group on digital assets outlines the current state of the market and concrete steps to position the US as a global crypto hub. The plan defines clear responsibilities for the SEC and CFTC, establishes a legal framework for stablecoins, introduces safe harbor rules for DeFi, and ensures banking access for crypto firms. With this roadmap, Washington reaffirms its leadership in the world of digital assets and demonstrates a deeper industry understanding than any other government worldwide.
The White House unveils a national crypto roadmap – clear regulations for stablecoins, DeFi, and exchanges by 2026.
JPMorgan makes a u-turn
Just a few months ago, JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon publicly railed against digital assets. Bitcoin was worthless, served money laundering, and his bank would never work with it. But since the change of government in the US, JPMorgan has made a complete U-turn. The financial giant now offers trading in Bitcoin and Ethereum, plans to use digital assets as loan collateral, and allows clients to link their accounts with the crypto exchange Coinbase. The message is clear: banks must embrace the shift or risk falling behind.
JPMorgan and Coinbase link crypto and bank accounts – a pilot project with far-reaching implications for the entire financial sector.
Crypto ETFs become more efficient
The US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has quietly approved a rule change for spot Bitcoin and Ethereum ETFs: “in-kind” redemptions are now permitted. Authorized market participants can now redeem ETF shares directly in Bitcoin or Ethereum – instead of only in US dollars as before. Institutional investors stand to benefit most, as they can move large crypto volumes more efficiently. At the same time, the new flexibility is likely to improve arbitrage between spot and ETF markets and reduce price discrepancies.
SEC approves in-kind redemptions for all spot Bitcoin and Ethereum ETFs – a milestone for cost efficiency and market transparency.
ECB under pressure
An author of the official ECB blog – previously known as a staunch crypto critic – has made a surprising reversal on stablecoins. Europe risks losing relevance compared to the US dollar, he writes. Especially in cross-border payments, digital tokens “could play a potentially meaningful role.” The statement comes amid a wave of global regulatory initiatives for stablecoins. After years of rejection, awareness is growing in the EU: the risk of missing the crypto future is becoming real. In the US, the recently passed GENIUS Act has created innovation-friendly guidelines not found in other jurisdictions.
ECB signals openness to stablecoins and their regulation – a potential turning point for digital currencies in Europe.
The story of the Bitcoin hard fork
In addition: Switzerland celebrated its national holiday on August 1, and the Bitcoin community also remembers the date. On August 1, 2017, the most well-known hard fork in Bitcoin history occurred: the creation of Bitcoin Cash. A hard fork splits a blockchain when the network cannot agree on updates – two separate protocols emerge. The background was a dispute over Bitcoin’s scalability. While the original continued with 1 MB blocks, Bitcoin Cash increased the block size to 8 MB to allow more transactions and reduce fees. The goal was to create a more user-friendly payment method. But despite the technical approach, Bitcoin Cash was never able to prevail against the original.
On August 1st, 2017, the most notable Bitcoin Hard Fork occurred, leading to the creation of Bitcoin Cash.
